Fix an iPhone 3G Screen

You, like many people, have broken your iPhone screen! These steps and video will show you how to fix it yourself. Read entire guide before beginning the process.

Steps

  1. Backup your iPhone! Connect it to your computer, browse to your iPhone in iTunes, and click "Sync."
  2. Gather all of the tools you will need. All these materials can be bought online in packages. A simple Google search, "iPhone screen repair kit", will produce you many results to choose from. Also, stores such as Zellers and Walmart carry all the materials except for the screen. Ordering the materials offline will ensure that you get the correct size and type if you are uncertain. Here is what you need:
    • A replacement glass.
    • A #00 Phillips screwdriver
    • A razor blade, or other wedging and scraping tool
    • Rubbing alcohol and Q-tips, and/or a hair dryer or heat gun
    • Double-sided tape and scissors, or superglue
    • Optional: A small suction cup
    • Optional: Tweezers
  3. Look at the bottom of your iPhone (the side with the home button) and locate the 2 screws on either side of the USB connector. Use a #00 Phillips screwdriver to unscrew both of these. (Note that you don't need to remove the SIM card in order to open the phone, as mentioned elsewhere on the web.)
  4. Remove the screen using one of these methods:
    • Use a wedging or scraping tool. A razor blade works well. Put the razor blade between the rubber and metal and lift the screen. The screen will still be attached to the iPhone so be sure to read the next step to be prepared.
    • Use a Get a Suction Cup to Stick on Your Bathtub Permanently. Instead of using a scraper tool or a screwdriver which can damage the rubber surround, use a small suction cup. Place the suction cup right above the home button and gently pull up. The glass will pull right out with no damage to the surrounding rubber gasket (assuming the glass is not broken too badly to get a seal).
  5. Look for flaps in the top right holding the screen and phone together. You will see labels 1 and 2 on bright orange stickers on these flaps. Lift these flaps with your wedging tool. (Note: The #2 sticker on the phone used in this tutorial fell off.)
  6. Look for a third sticker under the #2 flap. This one is a little different from the other two. You will need to lift the black "clamp" to release the #3 connection. Once the clamp is lifted, the screen will be free from the rest of the iPhone, simply pull it out.
  7. Remove 6 more screws. There are 5 screws on the side rails: 3 on the side with the flaps and 2 on the other side. The 6th screw is in the top right. All 6 of these screws are the same, so you don't need to worry about keeping track of which went where. There is black tape over some of the screws in this step. The black tape is not needed, so you can use your razor blade to cut off the tape covering each screw head.
  8. Separate the LCD screen from the glass. Put your wedger in between the rails and wedge the inner piece out. The LCD will need to slide down towards the Home button to clear the top flanges. Don’t be afraid to apply a little pressure as the metal will not get deformed. This step will free the LCD screen from the metal frame.
  9. Clean the metal frame from the broken glass. This step is the hardest part and will take a while, but make sure it is done well so the new screen fits snug. The specific approach to take will depend on how the glass broke, but don’t be scared to use force as long as you are not greatly bending the metal/plastic frame because you will reuse it. Use your razor blade or other wedging device to scrap away stuck pieces of glass and leftover residue of the former adhesive. Some people recommend using a heat gun or hair dryer, but be careful as this can deform the frame if it is torqued while applying heat. In that case you will have to heat it again to reform it. The adhesive does dissolve with rubbing alcohol, so try swabbing that on with a Q-tip and then working at it with the razor blade.
    • Be careful not to cut yourself! And if you get any tiny glass shards in your fingers or skin, read How to Remove a Splinter.
  10. Prepare your new screen. If you have double sided tape, make sure it is cut out correctly. If you have super glue, make sure when applying it that you do not apply too close to the home button. Only apply adhesive, whichever one it may be, to the wide black plastic on the bottom or top, staying away from the middle. You don’t want to glue the home button or the listening piece on the top. Let adhesive set for a few minutes to make sure it is set. If you use double-sided tape, consider using tweezers to manipulate it so that you don't get your finger oils all over it, diminishing its stickiness. Be sure to remove the protective plastic on the new glass where it will touch the tape.
  11. Start reassembling your iPhone. Put the LCD and glass back together. There are two ways the screen can go and only one is correct. On one side, the rail is longer than the other, so that's a quick way to match it. You may find it easier to slide the LCD in from the bottom so the little clamp slides on nicely.
  12. Put the 6 screws back that we took out before.
  13. Slide the #3 cable back into the clamp, making sure the clamp is open. This step is easier if you push the #3 down to straighten it out a bit, then hold the #2 and #1 cable with your thumb. Once you have the #3 cable reinserted, press down the black clamp.
  14. Put the #2 and #1 cables back on by simply pressing them onto the connector. Don’t worry about using a little bit of force or missing the connector a few times as it is bound to happen.
  15. Put the screen back onto the phone. Start by inserting the top, the side with the connectors, then place the bottom in. It should fit in nicely, avoid using force. After the screen and LCD are nice and snug, put the last 2 screws into their places on either side of the USB.



Tips

  • Put your screws where you know you will not lose them because they are very small and can easily get away from you.

Warnings

  • This process will void your iPhone warranty.
  • If you are not comfortable fiddling with your iPhone, you could have people from Apple do this for you as you may cause more damage to the phone.

Things You'll Need

  • Narrow flat head screwdriver or something similar, make sure the item has a somewhat fine tip as it will be used for scraping.
  • A very small Phillips Head Screwdriver (the one with the X shape to fit the screws).
  • iPhone glass screen.
  • Superglue or double sided tape.
  • All these materials can be bought online in packages. A simple Google search, "iPhone screen repair kit", will produce you many results to choose from. Also, stores such as Zellers and Walmart carry all the materials except for the screen. Ordering the materials offline will ensure that you get the correct size and type if you are uncertain.

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